Zero 2: Battle of the Shinobi
by Ultra Sonic 007
Summary: [Set after Housemates] Shurimon vs. Ninjamon, Taijamon, and Genjamon. Can he win, even when the odds are against him? Please read and review! [Twoshot][COMPLETE]
1. Prelude

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. (throws a shuriken in your eye)

Author's Notes: Well…we're now onto the third part of the Zero 2 saga. It's been almost 10 months since my last new entry (Housemates), and I hope to get finished with the fourth part by summer. So yah.

In any case, FFnet has declared replying to reviews as…ILLEGAL!

(SHOCKGASPPILLAGEPLUNDERROAR)

Yeah. I'm ticked. And the solution they offer (e-mail) is also crap. I want EVERYONE to see my replies to YOUR reviews; it's my way of communicating with my readers…but don't fret.

In the next chapter, I'll provide the link to a forum where – from now on – I'll post replies to every review. You don't need a forum ID to view the reviews…but it's free to join the forum, and only requires an e-mail address to confirm your password. This way, even though it's primarily for my review replying, you can also provide input and ideas. Who knows; I haven't put down the 'details' in a few of my fics (especially Past Journeys. Oh Lord, that'll be a biggy.) as of yet…so you can still help out. ;)

And plus…it's a place for readers to converse. Ironically, it's a board that's set by none other than 'The Great Baka Usagi' (former FFnet name: PikaChan), a reader of my Final Fantasy story. So if you feel like going…well, just wait until the next chapter!

Also, I put the link to the Pranks page on my bio. Go looky!

Now…BEGIN!

xxxx

The universe.

The Milky Way Galaxy.

The Solar System.

Earth.

Asia.

Japan.

Tokyo.

The Odaiba District.

The docks at Tokyo Bay.

Warehouse #7.

Within, three figures are shrouded in shadow, as invisible as the air. The darkness was their element; as practitioners of the three ninja arts can attest to.

"Tomorrow's the day, gentlemen."

"You're sure Ninjamon?"

"Yes Genjamon," replied Ninjamon in the darkness. "They will all be gathering in a park for a little fun in the snow…"

Taijamon snorted. "They don't sound like the mighty warriors who defeated UmbraDevimon, the Demon Corps, and BelialMyotismon. You sure this 'Shurimon' is all you claim him to be?"

Ninjamon nodded. "Yes…I'm definitely sure. I know without a doubt…he will prove to be a most excellent opponent."

"I still say this is a bad decision," whispered Genjamon. "Normally, I wouldn't mind a long-awaited battle…but I have doubts as to what will come of tomorrow."

Ninjamon chuckled in the darkness. "Rest assured, tomorrow…we shall defeat Shurimon in an honorable battle to the death." As his laughter echoed through the empty warehouse, a snowstorm roared on the outside, clouding Odaiba in white.

xxxx

_**Zero 2: Battle of the Shinobi**_

xxxx

/Park, Odaiba, Friday, December 23rd, 3:45 PM/

"**ACHOO!"**

"Still haven't gotten over that cold?" asked Kari. In reply, Yolei only shook her head as she rubbed her nose. Due to a recent 'incident' (chasing Davis in public with only a towel on), she had gotten a rather nasty cold.

That had been less than a week ago.

And now, it was December 23rd. A national holiday, for it was the celebration of the Emperor's Birthday. And thus, this meant one thing.

SCHOOL'S OUT!

So the Digidestined – both new and old – had gathered in a park to spend the day amongst the snow-covered grass and the barren cherry blossom trees. The snow was light and fluffy; excellent for playing in. And by new and old…I mean everyone.

Tai Kamiya and Agumon.

Sora Takenouchi and Biyomon.

Matt Ishida and Gabumon.

Mimi Tachikawa and Palmon.

Izzy Izumi and Tentomon.

Joe Kido and Gomamon.

TK Takaishi and Patamon.

Kari Kamiya and Gatomon.

Davis Inoue and Veemon.

Yolei Inoue and Hawkmon.

Cody Hida and Armadillomon.

Ken Ichijouji and Wormmon.

Also, as the only non-Digidestined member of the group: Daichi Etsuya and Impmon.

And no, the Inoue after Davis is not a typo. If you're wondering why he's now a sibling of Yolei's, then you didn't read Housemates (read: shameless plug).

In any case, a good portion of the group was in the midst of a snowball war, split into two teams; humans and Digimon.

Davis, Tai, Daichi, TK, and Matt.

Veemon, Agumon, Impmon, Patamon, Gabumon, Hawkmon, Armadillomon, and Gomamon.

Okay, so it seemed one-sided. But then again, the humans had a definite size advantage…

"**_AERIAL BOMBARDMENT!"_** roared Tai as he threw several snowballs over their protective fortress wall, as did Davis, Daichi, and TK.

Hawkmon blanched. "Incoming!" He ducked down as snowballs pelted their position. Veemon, Agumon, and Gabumon quickly retaliated by providing covering fire (er, wait…covering snow? Eh, never mind). At this moment, Matt came out of hiding only to be smacked in the face by a snowball courtesy of Gabumon. "Sorry Matt!"

"Don't mention…it…"

As for TK's partner Patamon, he peered out of his hiding spot beneath the Digimon's fortress wall and yelled, "Are you guys ready?"

Impmon smirked as Armadillomon curled up into a ball. "Are youse kiddin'? I'm gonna send dis guy straight through em'!" The Rookie with a Brooklyn accent reared his foot…

Gomamon roared, **"TAKE COVER!"** The Digimon dove to the side.

…and kicked Armadillomon as hard as he could. Sending him over the wall and towards the human fort. As he rolled, he began picking up snow…becoming bigger…and bigger…AND BIGGER…

"HOLY…!" yelped Daichi as the giant snowball approached. The five humans gaped as they dove to the side, avoiding the Armadillo-Snowball as he tore through their fortress wall as if it were nothing more than papier-mâché. Moments latter, he came to a stop against the base of a tree.

Tai raised his head as snow gathered on his hair. "We made it."

And that's when the other Digimon stormed over their snow fort and bombarded them from close-range. **_"RAR!"_**

"**WAH!"** yelped the humans.

Joe sighed as he sipped some hot coffee from his dark blue thermos; as per usual, he had prepared for the cold, snowy day by wearing four extra layers of clothing. "Oh boy," muttered the Child of Reliability, his warm breath crystallizing into cold vapor mere inches from his mouth. "I hope they'll be careful. It's easy to get injured in the snow if you don't watch out."

"Technically Joe, the mere act of swallowing food is incredibly dangerous, as there's always the chance that your food or drink will go down the trachea instead of the esophagus, thus resulting in your lungs being contaminated," remarked Izzy as he worked on his pineapple laptop (yes, he brought with him to the park. Thanks to his new wireless card, he could access the Internet from everywhere in Tokyo. Sad thing is, he takes everywhere. Shouldn't he have upgraded to a new laptop by now anyway?), browsing a news article detailing a rogue Digimon attack in London, England. "So before you worry about the snow, worry about your next meal."

Joe rolled his eyes as he mildly retorted, "And that's why I chew with my mouth closed."

Tentomon gently poked Izzy's side and whispered, "You would've thought he'd loosen up by now."

"That's a statistical impossibility Tentomon," quietly replied Izzy with a smile.

Meanwhile, the spectators of this snowball fight were Sora, Mimi, Kari, Yolei, Cody, and Ken, along with their partners (well, except Yolei and Cody's).

Biyomon ruffled her feathers, ridding herself of the cold flakes. "My goodness…it's cold out here!"

"Y-you're telling m-m-me," stuttered Palmon as she frantically tried to find at least SOME fragment of soil around her; even if it was plain old dirt, it would've sufficed. Roots were not made for cold snow. However, Mimi dealt with her chilliness immediately. Her solution?

Putting Palmon inside her jacket. The plant Rookie cooed at the sudden warmth. "Ooh…thanks Mimi! I was about to become a veggiecicle!" Mimi merely smiled widely in response. "Think nothing of it!"

"If you don't mind my saying, that was an awful pun," cracked Gatomon as she calmly swallowed a mound of snow. It was nothing more than water to her.

"Come to think of it, we used to say a lot of puns back in the old days," muttered Biyomon with a thoughtful look. She glanced at her partner and asked, "Do you remember if we did?"

Sora sweatdropped a little at the remembrance of all the corny jokes everyone used to share with each other back in the old days, when it was just the original seven (and later, Kari). In a way, that had been one of their few methods of dealing with the stress…but thanks to the close proximity of home (what with the Digiports and all), one-liners and puns had become quite scarce. Except with Gomamon. "Well…I can remember."

Biyomon rolled her eyes. "The jokes were corny, weren't they?"

"You could say that, yeah," stuttered Sora with a nervous chuckle.

"**SORA!"**

Sora and Biyomon glanced at the battlefield to see Tai's head sticking out of a mound of snow. "Can you revive me? I need CPR!"

Biyomon sweatdropped. Sora only smiled as she got up, her brown boots leaving footprints in the snow. She knew what Tai was alluding to…and she didn't mind. It was all fun and games for the day; being festive and playful was all that mattered. The Child of Love stopped beside the mound of snow Tai was buried under and playfully joked, "You seem to be breathing just fine to me."

Tai held his breath.

Sora giggled. "Okay, okay." She quickly cleared away the snow covering her boyfriend (it wasn't that big of a mound; Tai could've gotten out if he wanted to) and knelt down, her legs protected from the cold by a few layers of sweatpants…what? It was really cold! "CPR eh?" She began pushing down on his heart with both palms.

Tai nearly smacked his head. "I mean the mouth-to-mouth part."

"And?"

Tai sweatdropped. "Bah. Can't you call it an early Christmas gift?"

Sora smiled as she leaned down and kissed her lifelong friend on the lips. "Aw, you're no fun to tease."

Tai grinned. "What can I say? I'm a stubborn mule."

"Pardon me."

Sora blinked as she was suddenly grabbed by Matt and turned around-

**SPLAT!**

Three snowballs slammed into her face. Matt sighed with relief. "Safe."

At that moment, Tai rose…WITH ANGER! **"MATT…_YOU USED MY GIRLFRIEND AS A SHIELD!"_**

"…oops." Matt could say nothing else before the Child of Courage bombarded him at close-range. Oddly enough, Sora took part as well. But then again, who likes getting hit in the face in the snowball?

From afar, Mimi, Kari, and Yolei sweatdropped. The Child of Sincerity muttered to Kari, "My goodness. You think Matt would know better than to incur the wrath of a female by now."

"What makes you say that?" asked Kari.

Mimi calmly explained, "Well, he's a celebrity. Lead singer and guitar player of the Teenage Wolves! He's been the subject of a lot of crushes…and I'm certain girls' boyfriends were jealous of him for being so popular with the ladies. I wouldn't be surprised if there was SOME time where he encountered a rather unsavory guy wanted to take him out so their girlfriend would stop swooning over him. So he has to know that using Sora as a shield from a snowball is going to make the boyfriend mad…in this case, Tai!"

"Don't forget Mimi that the human body tends to act on impulses from the mind first and foremost. For someone trying to get out of harm's way, they'll do whatever it takes to get to safety. And then when they calm down, they figure out the consequences of their actions later," finished Izzy.

"Please, no more heavy conversation," groaned Joe as he cleaned his glasses. "I have a rare day off from medical school, and I wanted to actually give my brain a time-out."

"**ACHOO!"**

Another sneeze from Yolei. Gatomon flicked at her tail momentarily for a moment before saying, "I think you should head home. Colds need warmth to go away, not more cold."

"Are you kidding?" retorted Yolei as she rubbed her nose, sporting a wide grin. "I'm not going to let a stupid cold beat me down! I'll be just fine, er, **a, _ACHOO!"_** Her sneeze nearly made her beanie fall off; but it didn't which was fortunate. Seeing as how her hair had yet to grow back completely (it was only about an inch or two long now), she had very little to keep her head insulated. **_"ACHOO!"_**

"Your sneezes would indicate otherwise," remarked Cody with a calm tone as he tried to sip some prune juice from a plastic container…what? He had grown updrinking prune juice like his grandfather. Quit looking at him like that.

And so that's how it was. A day off from school, and the Digidestined (plus Daichi and Impmon) were enjoying themselves, letting the snowy day pass by, bounding around in the sea of white that had covered the park.

As you all know by now, this certainly wouldn't do.

"What a pretty sight…"

Yolei blinked at that familiar voice. It was gnawing at her; who was it? "Huh…?" Turning around, she gazed up at a barren cherry blossom tree to see three figures standing on its branches. All of them were Digimon. One of them she recognized.

The one on the left was one she didn't recognize; but he was imposing enough, being as tall as she was. He was all limbs and tiny body. His skin was a light-yellow color, and his large arms and legs (the legs alone were five feet long; his arms were about one foot shorter, and his body itself took up the last foot of his height) were thick and muscular. The body, however, was no more than a little tiny orb with a face; by all logical means, it was only a head. He wore a green bodysuit, with the cuffs of the uniform ending at the ankles and wrists. White tape was wrapped around his fists: done for the purpose of support. He wore wooden sandals with black straps; enlarged for his particularly hefty feet. Finally, holes were cut in the body suit to reveal his blue eyes and toothy mouth. Right now, those blue eyes were staring at her.

The one the right was also one she did not recognize…and he was a lot smaller; only about the size of the one she DID recognize.. His entire body was covered by a black bodysuit that covered him from head-to-toe. To further add to his mysterious nature, he also wore a blue cape, complete with a hood that covered his eyes. His red eyes were like dots that stood out against the darkness of his face (in a way, he resembled Digitamamon's in that regard). Finally, his hands and feet were both covered by black leather gloves and shoes. Those red eyes regarded her with slight contempt.

And finally…there was the one stood between them. The one she recognized. At no more than three-and-a-half feet tall, his short, pudgy body was nothing more than an orb with long arms and short legs. His light-tan skin only could be seen around his chubby mouth and lower body, as chain mail covered his limbs. Red cloth fashioned into gloves and shoes covered his appendages. He wore a mask of red cloth, tied into a tight knot around the back of his head. He wore dark gray shoulder pads made of metal, and spikes jutted outward from them. A blue sheath was strapped to his back, and inside that sheath was a razor-sharp katana. Orange eyes stared out from the holes in his mask…eyes that stared at her intently.

"Ninjamon," gasped Yolei.

The Champion smirked. "Glad to see you remember me."

At this moment, Ken turned…and paled. **"YOU!"** Naturally, everyone stopped and turned. Pretty much everyone else was confused as to the sudden arrival of these new Digimon (although Gatomon felt her furs stand on edge…).

That is, except Davis. He merely waved and said, "Hi guys!"

Yolei's eyes bugged out of her head. "You KNOW these guys?"

"Yeah. So?" asked Davis, confused as to why.

Ninjamon giggled. "We've decided to come here to get what we came for to begin with…" He pulled out his katana and pointed it at Hawkmon. "Our promised duel with Shurimon! Now Armor-Digivolve, you little bird!"

"Duel? What the heck are they talking about?" demanded Daichi.

"Good question," muttered Ken.

Davis was merely confused even more. "Wait a second…what the heck are you talking about Ninjamon? 'Promised' duel?"

"Why boy, YOU certainly know. You made it possible," answered Ninjamon with a wicked smirk.

Yolei's eyes turned to Davis, the familiar ire of the female Inoue beginning to build up. "Davis…what is he talking about?"

"Allow me," said Genjamon, his voice sounding whispery. He pulled out a small scroll from his cloak and unrolled it. It was the very contract Davis had signed on December 12th…eleven days ago. "Ninjamon."

Ninjamon grabbed it and handed it to Taijamon. "Read it aloud."

The large Champion grabbed the contract and read it aloud clearly with his deep, growling voice.

xxxx

_Dear the undersigned,_

_You, hereafter referred to as the first party, have agreed to entail the services of Genjamon, hereafter referred to as the second party. By agreeing to entail the services of the second party, you also, by rule of association, entail the possible resources and assistance of Genjamon's allies, hereafter referred to as the third party. By signing this contract, the first party is agreeing that all services of the second and third party are legally given with no other motives or drawbacks._

_By signing this, the first party is ensuring that the second and third party's services will be used in ways that are fitting for their abilities. Doing otherwise would constitute a waste of precious time and resources. By signing this contract, the first party is agreeing that, should these services be entailed for reasons that are minor/trivial/insignificant/unimportant, compensation will be required. The terms by which this compensation will be enacted will be settled at a later date._

_By signing this, the first party also agrees that the second party has the right to cancel this legally binding contract at any time. If this contract is cancelled, the second party has no obligation to fulfill the initial terms under which the contract was signed._

_Be strong._

_Be vigilant._

_Be adept._

_Signed: Davis Inoue_

_We look forward to working with you in the future._

xxxx

"…and?" asked Agumon out of confusion. "I don't get how that ties in with Shurimon."

Ninjamon grabbed the contract from Taijamon and held it out so they could see. "We didn't go for fine print…but Genjamon did something else entirely to hide our true goal." He then grabbed a section of the contract – starting at 'Be strong' and ending at 'Be adept' – and peeled it away.

That section of the contract had been fake; there were more words underneath. "Now allow me to tell you what it REALLY says…"

xxxx

_Dear the undersigned,_

_You, hereafter referred to as the first party, have agreed to entail the services of Genjamon, hereafter referred to as the second party. By agreeing to entail the services of the second party, you also, by rule of association, entail the possible resources and assistance of Genjamon's allies, hereafter referred to as the third party. By signing this contract, the first party is agreeing that all services of the second and third party are legally given with no other motives or drawbacks._

_By signing this, the first party is ensuring that the second and third party's services will be used in ways that are fitting for their abilities. Doing otherwise would constitute a waste of precious time and resources. By signing this contract, the first party is agreeing that, should these services be entailed for reasons that are minor/trivial/insignificant/unimportant, compensation will be required. The terms by which this compensation will be enacted will be settled at a later date._

_By signing this, the first party also agrees that the second party has the right to cancel this legally binding contract at any time. If this contract is cancelled, the second party has no obligation to fulfill the initial terms under which the contract was signed._

_**By signing this contract, the first party is agreeing to the terms of the 'Shurimon Clause' (see below).**_

_**The Shurimon Clause dictates that the second and third party will be allowed to battle the Digimon known as Shurimon at any time, at any place of their choosing. Such a battle will not be interfered with by the first party, anyone or anything associated with the first party, or any outsider of any shape or form.**_

_**Failure to meet or uphold these terms will result in swift and certain death.**_

_Signed: Davis Inoue_

_We look forward to working with you in the future._

xxxx

Ninjamon smirked as he handed the contract to Genjamon. "So you see, you are already _legally_ bound by this contract to have Shurimon engage us in battle."

Silence.

Until Impmon pointed his thumb at Davis. "One question; why da heck did he sign that stupid contract?"

"That's what I'D like to know," growled Yolei. "How do you know Ninjamon to begin with? Tell us!"

Davis gulped, feeling suddenly cold despite his thick clothing. The jig was up. "Um…well, the reason I know Ninjamon is because I met him in the Digital World…and in exchange for bringing him here, he helped me with…a prank."

Snap.

Just like that. Yolei's eyes had hardened into the 'death glare'. "Oh **REALLY?** _Which one?"_

Davis gulped. "Um…the clothes on the flagpole."

Yolei's eyes lit on fire. **"I KNEW YOU DID IT! AND NOW I HAVE PROOF!"**

"And after that…in exchange for bringing his pals Genjamon and Taijamon here…he helped me with my last prank." Davis knew he was going to get killed for this…but he would face up like a man (and, hopefully, find out why the heck Yolei disliked Ninjamon so much). "Genjamon wanted me to sign the contract before he would help me with my last big prank…so he hypnotized you into heading to Tamachi…"

Silence. Deafening silence.

AND THEN YOLEI EXPLODED.

"_YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT **ALL THE TROUBLE** I WENT THROUGH BECAUSE OF THOSE STUPID FANGIRLS WAS **YOUR FAULT? YOU'RE DEAD!"**_

Davis cringed. _Oh boy. I'm in trouble._

"Pardon me Davis," chirped up Wormmon. "But it seems like you don't know who Ninjamon is. For your information, during Puppetmon's Obstacle Course, he fought Hawkmon and I along with his partner Musyamon."

_Well, that explains THAT_, concluded Davis with a frown. And it also made him feel a bit angry; he had helped out an enemy! _Way to go idiot._

"But if you got the contract from Davis, then why try and force me into an agreement?" asked Hawkmon, making sure Yolei was within his peripheral vision all the while.

"Ah yes…" Ninjamon chuckled. "I was worried that you would ignore the contract once you Digitwerps found out, so I went for a blood oath, using the trapping of letting you know that your irritable partner was in Tamachi. It may be old, but it's still a good way to settle things…after all, it's not something you can bow out of, unless you feel like being shamed for all time. Blood oaths go deep…and I doubt you'd defy an oath like that."

Hawkmon's eyes narrowed. He had given his word…but he didn't feel like fighting…what was the point of it?

At that moment, Davis made a connection. _Wait…they knew Yolei was in Tamachi…?_ "So you're saying you knew that the Rocketeers would be maddened by Yolei's kiss…so that means you kidnapped her FOR them in order to get this 'blood oath' with Hawkmon…and that means you left the note…in that box!" His eyes suddenly became angry as well. "You…why did you do that?"

Ninjamon blinked…and then he smiled when he realized it. "Ah, I see…the 'Fire Calamity' tag on the box. It was an illusionary spell made by Genjamon…wanted to test it. I guess it did."

"**_IT FELT LIKE MY ARM HAD BEEN BURNED OFF!"_** roared Davis, showing a bit of his OWN ire. "What was the point of that? **Tell me!"**

"You're asking a question I've already answered," replied Ninjamon with a sadistic smirk. "Besides…I wanted to see the reaction of whoever opened it."

"Freak," growled Matt.

Ninjamon shrugged innocently. "Like I told Hawkmon, I may have some questionable 'ethics'…but on the field of battle, my honor is absolute."

"What little of it there is," muttered Cody, his eyes narrow with contempt. "Trickery. Deceit. Guile. That doesn't sound one bit like REAL honor."

Taijamon snorted. "Like YOU would know."

"As a matter of fact, I do," replied Cody with some satisfaction. All because of grandpa. However, as he stared, he noticed something odd about Ninjamon…

Ninjamon calmly flexed his arms as he said, "In any case…we're here for a fight. I've done a lot of work to make sure you wouldn't weasel out of this."

_No kidding_, thought Izzy begrudgingly. Despite Ninjamon himself, he had done a top-notch job of researching the area and choosing what to do to land things in his favor.

"And in case you actually DO back out of the contract AND the blood oath…well, there's the good old-fashioned way of doing things." With that grin, something erupted from the snow behind Yolei.

At that same instant Cody realized what was off about Ninjamon; he had no shadow.

Ninjamon's shadow – spawned from his Shadow Image technique – grabbed Yolei by the collar and held his shadowy sword to her neck. "AH!"

"**_YOLEI!"_** shouted the Digidestined. Mimi yelled, "Let her go!"

"NOT UNTIL HE BECOMES SHURIMON," demanded Ninjamon as he stared at Hawkmon. "So…the contract. The blood oath. And now her life. Three things binding you to this battle…now what shall it be?"

In Hawkmon's mind…there was only answer. Despite his wishes to not battle, his hand had been forced. So be it. If Ninjamon wanted a battle…then HE WOULD GET ONE. "Yolei…use the Digiegg of Sincerity to turn me into Shurimon."

Yolei shook her head. In response, the Shadow Image's katana touched her skin. A little deeper, and it would cut her flesh.

"Yolei…please."

"…" With a strained expression on her face, the Child of Caring agonizingly clutched the red D-3 in her pocket. "Digi-Armor Energize…"

A green flash overtook Hawkmon.

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to……Shurimon: The Shinobi of Sincerity!

When the light faded, Taijamon and Genjamon's eyes widened.

Shurimon was eight feet tall…much taller than either of them. His entire body was wrapped in white garments, fashioned into a tight ninja outfit. Around his neck was a scarf made entirely of a vibrant green leaf. His entire head was wrapped in white sheets, with eyeholes cut in for his yellow eyes. Over his face was a black mask, complete with four blue lenses for his eyes. Around his waist was a belt made of red silk, fastening his garments together. His arms were actually springy vines with three-bladed shurikens attached to them. His feet were not the same; they were like normal human feet, except completely wrapped up in skin-tight white cloth. On his back was an extra-large, four-bladed shuriken that had the Crest of Sincerity embroidered on its center. "I am Shurimon."

Ninjamon smirked at the looks of disbelief on his allies' faces. "Believe me now?"

Taijamon dumbly nodded. Genjamon whispered, "I can sense great power…this is not an ordinary enemy at all…perhaps I will enjoy myself after all."

"Now…for the location of the battle." He glanced at Izzy Izumi. "Does your laptop have access to a network connection?"

Izzy blinked. "Uh…yeah."

"We will be going to sector 01-100-CHI. That will be where this battle begins and ends." Ninjamon made sure no one besides Shurimon made any sudden moves; he still kept his Shadow Image out to make sure no one made any funny moves.

"Done."

Ninjamon, Taijamon, and Genjamon calmly stood in front of the portal, their backs turned to it. Shurimon was in front of them, staring down defiantly at them.

"Shurimon…" whimpered Yolei.

Shurimon calmly said, "I will not die Yolei. I will return in one piece."

The Shadow Image suddenly disappeared as Ninjamon ordered, "Open the gate!"

Ken did the deed.

"Digiport open."

One flash of light later, and the four shinobi were gone.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Shurimon's Dilemma! Ninjamon, Taijamon, and Genjamon are Incredible!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Well, I finished this chapter faster than I have as of lately. So that's good.

In any case, next chapter might take a while. It's a BIG battle.

See you soon, and please review!


	2. The Battle

Standard Disclaimer: (holds up a sign saying 'I don't own Digimon!')

Author's Notes: The second chapter of Shinobi! Prepare for ninja-on-ninja action!

…wait, that didn't come out right. Never mind!

In any case, my little brother has recently joined the ranks of FFNet. He's a mere lad of 11, and his username is 'Venom Symbiote'. If you couldn't tell, he's a Spider-Man fan, and the first results of his foray into fanfiction writing are available on his profile page. Go on and give him a review or two; comment and give him some constructive criticism if you feel like it.

www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/venomsymbiote

Ninja BEGIN! (vanishes in a puff of smoke)

xxxx

_**Shurimon's Dilemma! Ninjamon, Taijamon, and Genjamon are Incredible!**_

xxxx

/11-000-IOTA, Gennai's House, 4:03 PM/

In another part of the Digital World, deep under a lake, was a wooden house. As to how it never leaked, that's a tale for another time.

It was the home of Gennai, last surviving member of the Order. It had been his home for many years…and for the longest time, he had observed the world from afar, using numerous security cameras established during the days of the Order. Right now, he was sitting in front of a large computer console, staring at multiple monitors broadcasting footage from one area: 01-100-CHI.

The old man sighed as he twirled his limp mustache around on of his gloved fingers. _Hmm…a duel to the end…_

"**Watching the fight?"**

Gennai turned his attention to a blank monitor…well, it wasn't blank anymore. The face of Azulongmon was on it, his four red eyes peering straight into Gennai's. The old man replied, "Yes. And it's not even Pay-per-View!"

"**Humor aside, what do you think Shurimon's chances are?"**

"I'm not quite sure," muttered Gennai as he leaned back in his chair. "Although I only hope Yolei's partner can hold up."

"**I'm sure he will…I know he will."**

Gennai frowned as he gazed at the monitor with Azulongmon's face. "…you seem awfully sure. You know something, don't you?"

Chuckling. **"Just watch the fight."**

xxxx

/01-100-CHI, 4:05 PM/

When Shurimon awoke in the Digiworld, he found himself facing what seemed to be a paradise at first glance.

Lush green conifers and pines constituted a large forest that bordered a large, circular lake. Several clearings dotted the forest, each one filled with tall grass. Sitting in the center of the lake was a giant rock spire, in which several holesexisted; they probably led to a deep cavern within the jagged spire. The distinctive rainbow flowers of the CHI sectors could be seen growing nearby. _Hmm…a forest…flatlands…a lake…a mountain…a cavern…so many places to attack from…so many…I must be alert…_

The Shinobi of Sincerity grimaced as he felt a foreign presence probe his mind. It was most likely Genjamon, the one who was an apparent master of illusion. _I must be careful…_

Thick arms wrapped around his body. Shurimon gasped as Taijamon – having seemingly appeared out of nowhere – began crushing him in a massive bear hug. "Hrrrrgh…."

Genjamon suddenly appeared in front of him, stabbing him in the gut with his only melee weapon: a jagged dagger. The shinobi grimaced.

Ninjamon suddenly leapt from the trees, katana held overhead.

**CHIK.**

Shurimon's head was impaled. Taijamon released his foe, letting Shurimon fall to the ground with a solitary _plop_. "And that's the end."

Genjamon snorted. "No challenge."

Ninjamon snickered. "None at all…his death was quick and painless. Not befitting a warrior with his repute at all! **HA HA HA HA HA!**"

Shurimon's body leaked greenish blood…and then he burst into data, his remains scattering to the winds. Just like Ninjamon's laughter.

xxxx

_**THE END**_

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_NO!_

The darkness shattered.

xxxx

Shurimon exhaled forcefully as reality returned to him. He was still standing, staring at the sandy shoreline to the lake in front of him. Sweat was beading on his uniform (well, seeing as how he was a plant and all, he was actually sweating aloe) as his heart beat rapidly. _What a realistic illusion! I thought I had died…_

Yolei's partner shook his head rapidly. _I must focus…keep my senses sharp. They have made the first move…and they will try to capitalize on my weakness._

At that moment, as if hearing his thoughts, Taijamon erupted from the forest, pounding his fists against the ground. "EARTH SHAKER!" The collision created a shockwave that sent a wave of dirt careening towards the taller Armor Digimon.

_I will not let them!_ Shurimon leapt away, dodging the incoming shockwave and the soil that accompanied it. Moments later, Ninjamon appeared from the tree branches of needle-leaved pine, accompanied by two of his Shadow Images. "TAKE THIS! THROWING STARS!" The three Ninjamon each threw one shuriken at Shurimon, who immediately flipped backwards…

"ILLUSION…"

…and came face-to-face with Genjamon, whose hands were clenched as his eyes glowed.

"…FIRE STYLE!"

A wave of fire erupted from Genjamon, surrounding Shurimon and the forest completely. The white-clad shinobi paled; the flames felt so real…crackling fire rang through his ears…he was suffocating on smoke…he had to get out. Regroup…had to hurry…

"Shadow of Leaves!"

Suddenly, MORE trees sprouted out of the ground, more like oaks with lighter bark than their real world counterparts. As his technique countered the illusion – his energy within the newly spawned trees conflicting with Genjamon's mental powers – the Shinobi of Sincerity disappeared into the thick canopy of the woods.

Genjamon frowned as Taijamon and Ninjamon fell by his side. "Hmm…his energy within these new trees is quite abundant. He managed to break my illusion…never have I met a practitioner of the ninja arts who could spawn a whole forest."

"I told you he was something else," remarked Ninjamon.

"I still think he's a coward," grumbled Taijamon. "He may be taller than us, but I could crush him in a second."

Ninjamon snorted. "His retreat was a strategic one…to not only buy time, but to figure out a way to beat us. The more time we waste, the more he learns of ways to counter our techniques."

The three Champions said nothing else as they dashed into the forest, splitting up to find their prey.

xxxx

Shurimon glanced to his left. To his right. Above. Below.

Nothing.

He was in the clear…for now.

The Armor Digimon sighed as he slumped to his rump, momentarily unclenching his Double Star shuriken and clutching his head with his curved, springy limbs. Unlike other Digimon, his hands did not have fingers. On the contrary, his covered feet did have toes. But right now, the number of digits he had was not on his mind (which would be rather silly).

The battle was.

_That probing I felt was Genjamon subjecting me to his illusionary powers…and they are nothing to scoff at. He made feel as if I had died…and he made me see, hear, and SMELL smoking flames, even though they did not exist._ Shurimon shivered; that was just the tip of the iceberg. _And Taijamon…his muscles are not just for show. And Ninjamon's the craftiest of them all…my only hope is to pick them off one by one. Otherwise, the three combined will overwhelm me._

Shurimon suddenly clutched onto his Double Star shuriken, looking around him nervously. _Someone's near._

**_CRACK!_**

A large hand burst through the tree, grabbing Shurimon by the neck. The Armor Digimon gagged as he was pulled THROUGH the tree, the oak shattering into splinters as he was sent flying towards the ground with a _thud_. Pain roared through his back. "Hrrg…" He looked up just in time to see a knee aiming for his face.

**BAM!**

Shurimon rolled away just in time. Taijamon snorted as he raised his thick knee from the soil, leaving an imprint behind. The six-foot tall Taijutsu specialist chuckled as he stared at the eight-foot tall Shurimon with blue eyes that seemed to hunger for a challenge. "Ninjamon did a lot of work to sell you off as a tough fight. So far, I'm not impressed."

"DOUBLE STAR!"

Taijamon blinked as Shurimon sent two swirling projectiles at him, barely whizzing by him. Two small cuts appeared on his thick arms, trickling blood. The throwing stars – affixed to Shurimon's stretchy limbs – recoiled backward, the Armor Digimon growling, "I will do more than impress." He lashed out with the right arm.

Taijamon dodged, grabbing the limb and pulling Shurimon towards him. Shurimon, however, merely brought his feet up. Taijamon gaped-

SLAM!

And then he gagged as both feet slammed into his face, sending him backwards as Shurimon flipped and landed, bringing his arm back. He calmly grabbed the much larger shuriken on his back and threw it. "Swirling Shuriken!"

"Rrrgh…" Taijamon got to his feet, shaking his head before seeing the large projectile soaring at him. It carved through trees like a knife through butter, aimed precisely and with deadly accuracy.

Taijamon leapt into the air.

More trees fell as the giant shuriken swirled around, coming to a stop as it landed against Shurimon's 'hands' (which were only his Double Star shuriken). The Armor Digimon looked up as Taijamon landed on a tree branch, holding a limb about ten-feet long and three-feet thick. "Try this."

He reared his arms and _heaved_. "HRA!"

Shurimon leapt to the side, his arm swinging around a conifer. He swung around the tree before coming a stop on another thick branch, his hidden yellow eyes glaring at Taijamon as another thick tree limb was thrown. "DOUBLE STAR!"

Yolei's partner sliced through the incoming tree limb, splitting it into three different pieces. However, Taijamon was in midair, falling right towards him…and his arms were glowing with fire. _What?_

"FLAMING ARMS!" Shurimon fell backwards off the tree, avoiding Taijamon's flaming strike as he hit the conifer. It burst into fiery splinters. "You won't survive for long!"

Shurimon grimaced. _These flames are all too real._ He had to deal with this problem and fast. As Taijamon charged at him, the Shinobi of Sincerity sent both of his arms out to the side, his Double Star weapons wrapping around and latching into the wooden bark of two pines.

"**_YOU'RE DEAD!"_** howled Taijamon as he reared both arms and punched.

Shurimon jumped above the fists…twirled around…and crossed his legs across Taijamon, locking him in place.

The Taijutsu specialist was in a leg lock.

"This won't hold me!" roared Taijamon as he used his Flaming Arms to strike at Shurimon's legs. The plant-like shinobi grimaced; he would endure the pain. He had to…if only long enough to deliver the next attack. _Must endure…_

Shurimon grumbled as the burning came.

_Must endure…_

His arms tensed as he struggled to pull the pines.

_Must endure…_

The trees groaned as their hardy roots began to give way to Shurimon's constant pull.

_Must endure…_

Taijamon grimaced; why hadn't this fool let go yet?

_For…_

The trees were on the very threshold of losing ground.

…_YOLEI!_

The trees gave way. Shurimon extended his legs, putting Taijamon a few feet away from him as he released the Taijutsu specialist. The confused Champion muttered, "Huh…?"

Then both trees smashed into him from both sides.

Shurimon grimaced as he stared at the pile of broken bark and splintered limbs. The garments on his leg had been burnt off, revealing his legs. Like his arms, they were springy vines, ending in humanoid feet. _One down._

He suddenly flipped backwards. Four throwing stars landed in the ground where he had stood. The Armored Champion glared up at an oak, where Ninjamon was standing upon a branch. "Well, I see you've got some fight left in you. Perhaps there's hope yet that my honor from our last fight may yet be restored!"

"You speak of honor…you have no idea what the word even means. You even claiming 'honor' is a disservice to the word itself," growled Shurimon as he reared his arms.

Ninjamon snickered. "My ethics may be different, but I know the concept of honor quite well!"

"Ethics and honor are bound together…YOUR 'ethics' are incompatible. DOUBLE STAR!"

Ninjamon fell to the ground as the two shuriken split the branch he had been standing upon. Immediately upon landing, he burst off into the woods. Shurimon pursued.

And all the while, a muscular hand emerged from the wooden debris.

xxxx

Shurimon leapt out of the crowded forest and landed on his feet, suddenly found himself in a forest clearing, populated by tall grass. A small river cut through it, leading towards the lake in the center of sector 01-100-CHI. _Hmm…he's in here somewhere._ He cautiously gazed around. The grass went to his torso…it was easy for Ninjamon to hide in such an environment. _Focus._

The wind blew, causing the grass to sway in waves. The gale's call was like a precursor to death…

And then the shadows emerged.

Twenty Shadow Images. Red eyes fixed on Shurimon.

The Armored Champion's eyes blazed behind his black facemask as he began spinning the two shuriken in his hands like buzz saws. "I am ready."

Dark katanas flashed as the Shadow Images attacked.

Shurimon ducked and lashed out with his feet, kicking straight through a Shadow Image; they were considerably weaker than the original. Even so, they were easily capable of killing him.

Two Shadow Images slashed at him. Shurimon grimaced as they cut into his shoulders. With unnatural quickness, he whirled his arm around and blindsided them. They burst into shadowy wisps as the others rushed en masse.

Shurimon dove to the ground as his legs spun around, kicking at the incoming foes. He wrapped his arms around those unlucky – or foolish – enough to get in close, slinging them against the ground like a slingshot. Blades cut his sides as he cut into theirs with his shuriken. The grass was cut by steel. A fist slammed into his facemask, cracking it. The Armored Champion jumped into the air, forcefully extending his feet downward to smash into two Shadow Images. He spun his arms around at high speed, becoming a green whirlwind of ripping steel. The remaining Shadow Images responded by jumping into the air, using their Throwing Star technique.

**CHUNK!**

Shurimon grimaced as five shuriken latched into his chest, stopping his spinning momentum. His arms retracted as he fell to the ground, the shadowy shuriken already dissipating. However, the last seven Shadow Images were coming…

"NO!"

Shurimon butted heads with the closest one, his blazing eyes causing the blue eye lenses in his slowly splintering facemask to glow. It was an ethereal glow…unreal, in a sense. The shinobi roared, "I WILL NOT DIE! **DOUBLE STAR!**" He threw both of his Double Star shuriken…but he let loose, letting them fly away. As they embedded themselves into the closest tree trunks, Shurimon grabbed the two closest Shadow Images with his hands and coiled them around his arms.

Now instead of a retractable shuriken, he was now more akin to a wrecking ball.

Shurimon swung out with his arms, the Shadow Images in his clutches groaning as they were slammed into their brethren, the ground, and finally each other. As the last one tried to rise from the ground, Shurimon extended his arms past the dark clone… retrieved his Double Stars…and brought them back, slicing through the Shadow Image on the return trip.

The Shinobi of Sincerity sighed. The grass looked like it had been cut by a malfunctioning mower.

Then, without hesitation, he whirled around.

SLAM!

His foot slammed into Ninjamon – the REAL Ninjamon – who had been creeping up behind the Armored Champion to stab him in the back. The diminutive ninja gagged as he broke through one oak, coming to a stop against the next with a dull groan.

Shurimon sighed. The Shadow Images had given him a number of lacerations along his arms, sides, and legs. There were also the shuriken wounds on his chest. Even so, he was still capable of fighting. _Two down._

The probing sensation returned. Shurimon's eyes narrowed as he spun around, prepared for any illusion that might come his way. _Now there is only Genjamon._

All of a sudden, the river morphed and rose, turning into a watery dragon that roared at him. With frightening speed, it lunged at Shurimon, crashing against him with a ferocious force. "GAH!" gagged Shurimon as he shook off water from his body – it wasn't even water, it WASN'T REAL – preparing for an attack from any direction. Genjamon was nearby, no doubt preparing another attack.

"ILLUSION…"

Shurimon heard Genjamon's voice echo out of nowhere.

"…WIND STYLE!"

A tornado suddenly came out of nowhere, tearing through the forest. The Shinobi of Sincerity paled as he took off running, ignoring the pain that came from his burnt and bleeding legs. _Endure the pain. I must find Genjamon and end this illusion!_ He had experienced the sensation of death before…and he had only barely broken through the illusion. He didn't want to leave himself vulnerable like that again.

Trees went flying. The wind howled. The sky was dark. Sticks were flying at high enough speeds to impale iron. And yet it wasn't real; Shurimon knew this. He KNEW this. There was no tornado; in reality, he was running away from nothing.

But even though he knew that, he couldn't force his mind to believe. Genjamon's illusionary powers were too strong for him. Therefore, he had to end the delusion at the source.

The tornado veered to the side, going elsewhere. Shurimon took shelter behind a pine tree – it was little more than a sapling – hoping the master of Genjutsu had lost track of him. _I need to relax, if only for a moment…I can't push myself too hard._

The Shinobi of Sincerity sighed.

Then the jagged dagger pierced his back.

And unlike last time, this was no illusion.

Shurimon gagged as the other falsities disappeared. All damage that had been done by the tornado and river dragon vanished. Finally, the pine sapling Shurimon had dove behind morphed into Genjamon, whose red eyes were hardened into a glare. "Pathetic," he whispered. "You may have excellent physical abilities…but your mental acuity leaves much to be desired. My illusions are too much for you."

"And on the other hand…" gurgled Shurimon. "…your physical talent leaves much to be desired." With lightning quickness that surprised the Genjutsu specialist, Shurimon struck with his right foot, sending the tiny Champion flying into a different section of the forest. With an agonized groan, the Armored Champion pulled Genjamon's dagger out of his back, its metallic surface covered with green blood. Frustrated, he threw it in a random direction.

It landed in the lake water.

Shurimon found that he had come near the shores of lake. His eyes fell upon the rock spire…particularly, one of the openings in its side. He needed momentary refuge.

The cracks in his facemask moved onto his eye lenses. With a frustrated grumbled, the Armored Champion discarded his black facemask, revealing his four yellow eyes. He was weary…and tired.

Worst of all, he had only been fighting for no more than twenty minutes.

Without hesitation, Shurimon leapt across the lake and dove into the darkness of the hollow mountain.

xxxx

Meanwhile, on the very outskirts of the large, two figures were watching from afar. It was mostly the larger one on the right.

"So…what can you tell?"

"The Digimon who smells of human has taken refuge in that monolith of rock…he seeks momentary refuge from this battle."

"Is that human a Digidestined?"

"…the smell is similar to one I encountered in the Real World. The Digimon himself smells familiar as well."

"How is he faring?"

"At the moment, it is at a standstill…but his three foes are regrouping."

"…should we help?"

"This battle is different in a way. I will not interfere. Besides, it would be an insult to my power."

"If you say so."

xxxx

Taijamon rubbed his sore arms as he walked towards Ninjamon, who was sitting up after the ferocious kick Shurimon had given him. "That weed is difficult to exterminate."

"Indeed," snarled Genjamon as he stepped out of the thicket, his gloved hands brushing off dust from his blue cape. "He took away my only dagger. I don't like it when someone takes my possessions."

Ninjamon giggled at Taijamon and Genjamon's words. "Just calm down you two…we've gotten the fight we've desired…all that's left now is to terminate our foe."

"He went into hiding," grumbled Genjamon. "At least, that's what I would do if I had time to recuperate."

The small Ninjutsu specialist chuckled as he stared in the direction of the rocky spire in the distance. "Then let's play doctor and give him a visit."

xxxx

Inside the darkness of the rocky spire, Shurimon rested against a stalagmite. His body was screaming at him to dedigivolve…in his lesser form of Hawkmon, he would be able to recuperate fast. Such the way it was with all Digimon (that is, that's how it worked with most Digimon; some went against the norm); that's why the Digidestined's partners always dedigivolved after battles; to regain their strength and stamina more quickly.

But he couldn't dedigivolve. Not yet.

Shurimon sighed as his yellow eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness of the spire's innards. Despite the several openings in the mountainside, there was not enough light to fully illuminate the rocky cavern.

Even now, Shurimon could not find relaxation. He couldn't blame himself either; his three opponents were relentless. _They will not rest until I am dead at their feet…_

His attention turned toward the closest source of light; a small crack in the brownish outer rock of the monolithic spire, allowing sunlight to filter in. It fell upon…a single flower that stood in wet dirt (apparently, water leaked in from the lake into the base of the rock spire).

It was a rainbow flower, found in only the CHI sectors of the Digital World.

Shurimon felt a moment of relaxation as he walked over to the flower, its petals flashing every color of the rainbow in succession. It gave him some measure of peace…and he thought of his partner. Yolei.

She had trusted him enough to fight on his own…and live to tell about it. _She has faith in me…and I won't let her down._

Suddenly, the sunlight filtering in from the crack disappeared. It didn't dawn onto him as to why…until it was too late.

**_KA-RASH!_**

The wall exploded as two flaming fists burst through the rock, flooding the immense cavern with sunlight…and Taijamon brought his feet up as he fell downward, bringing his feet down.

The hardy wooden sandals met Shurimon's face.

Ninjamon and Genjamon immediately swooped in to join the fight.

xxxx

/Park, Odaiba, 4:40 PM/

"Yolei, do you think this is really necessary?" asked Kari.

"Without a doubt," replied Yolei, her eyes stern.

"To be fair, Davis DIDN'T know about Ninjamon," interjected Ken.

"Don't care. He's the reason my partner's in a life-or-death battle right now!" retorted the lavender-haired girl as she watched Davis endure his punishment.

Basically, he had been stripped of all his clothes except his underwear and forced to march around the park barefooted (under the careful eye of Daichi, with Impmon sitting atop his winter clothing with the others. Besides, whom were those two to argue with an irate Yolei? They didn't dare incur the legendary wrath of the female Inoue.). Cold, nearly nude, and in public; it wasn't much, but it would at least land him one heck of a cold.

However, Cody saw past Yolei's attempt at petty revenge. "I know you're only lashing out at Davis because you're worried about Shurimon."

The Child of Caring sighed as she stared at the sky. "I know…" What else was she supposed to do? She couldn't interfere…she had no choice in the matter. No one did. All there was left to do now…was wait and hope.

Mimi smiled and cheerfully said, "He'll be okay Yolei! Trust me! He's not gonna die on you." Matt sweatdropped. Not exactly the best words to use.

Yolei Inoue, however, knew what Mimi was saying to be true. She had faith in Shurimon…that he would live. He would not die…and she believed with all of her heart, as sincere a belief could be, despite the growing tightness in her chest. _He'll live…I know it._

"**ACHOO!"**

As Davis' sneeze echoed through the air, Yolei smiled…at least a little bit.

xxxx

/01-100-CHI, 4:44 PM/

Shurimon gagged as he struggled onto the shoreline, his broken and ragged body leaking green blood onto the sand. He had barely made it out of the rocky cavern and swam to shore…but they would be back upon him soon.

Fists, swords, and illusions…Shurimon had nearly been eviscerated during that ambush. Yet he still told himself that he would live…there was no choice. HE WOULD LIVE…

Taijamon suddenly landed in front of him, picking up the Armored Champion by his head. His blue eyes stared at Shurimon's weary eyes with sadistic delight. "For a guy two feet taller than me, you sure like to crawl like a worthless insect." He threw Shurimon aside like so much trash.

Genjamon landed beside the weakened shinobi, kicking him in the ribs. "That was my favorite dagger you threw away. At least your defeat will make up for it."

"It'll make up for than that," said Ninjamon as he slowly turned Shurimon onto his back, staring straight at his face; even though it was still covered and shadowed by his uniform, the defeat in his eyes was clear. "He knows he's about to die."

Shurimon knew it. He couldn't find anymore will to fight…he couldn't…he was at the edge of his rope…

Ninjamon unsheathed his katana. "Time to settle this matter once and for all."

_No…I am not finished…Yolei has faith in me_, thought Shurimon as his hands clenched tightly onto his Double Star shuriken. _She has faith in me…I cannot die…I WILL NOT DIE!_

Just before Ninjamon swung his katana, Shurimon's eyes opened.

And the three Champions blinked at the sight.

xxxx

The larger of the two figures standing outside of the large forest suddenly looked more alert. "The Digimon that smells of Digidestined…he's found something more."

xxxx

Gennai paled at the sight appearing on his monitors. "Hmm?"

xxxx

Yolei felt a strange lightness in her chest. _What the...?_

Although she wouldn't know it due to all of her clothing, the Crest of Sincerity was glowing on her chest. The power she had inherited from the Digiegg that bore its symbol had manifested itself in a new way.

xxxx

Ninjamon, Taijamon, and Genjamon backed as Shurimon suddenly leapt to his feet, stepping away as he looked at them. His eyes…

Instead of four yellow eyes…his eyes were now like mirrors, reflecting everything he saw.

Taijamon grumbled, "What trickery is this…?"

Honestly, Shurimon had no idea. His eyes had changed…as had his perception of everything. Energies seemed clearer…the true nature of all around him was showing itself to him. He could see beneath the beneath…and beyond the beyond…

His eyes fell upon Ninjamon.

Ninjamon snorted. "It doesn't matter. He won't be around long enough. SHADOW IMAGE!"

As Ninjamon's shadow split into two different clones, Shurimon's eyes reflected the technique…and he perceived how it was performed. How the shadow turned into the doppelgangers of Ninjamon. In short…he saw how the Shadow Image technique worked.

Deciding that he had nothing to lose, the Shinobi of Sincerity muttered, "Shadow Image."

Moments passed…and his shadow suddenly split off into two clones of himself, with eyes of blue instead of eyes of yellow.

Genjamon and Taijamon paled. Ninjamon was absolutely aghast. **"WHAT TRICKERY IS THIS? _HOW DID YOU COPY MY TECHNIQUE?_"**

Shurimon smiled as his Shadow Images moved into offensive stances. "I see now…these eyes of mine…I don't know how they came to be, but they have increased my perception to the point where I can see how you manipulated your energy and data to use the Shadow Image technique…like a mirror, I reflected you…" Shurimon himself chuckled; the tables were turning in his favor. "And now I know the name of my ultimate technique: **Mirror Eye**."

The two Shadow Images suddenly attacked Taijamon and Ninjamon. The latter's Shadow Images tried to fight back…but there was quite a bit of difference in power between Ninjamon's Shadow Images and Shurimon's.

Speaking of whom, Shurimon turned to Genjamon, who was glaring at him with red eyes. Without hesitation, the master of Genjutsu yelled, "ILLUSION: SHADOW STYLE!"

Darkness suddenly encompassed Shurimon. All around him, he saw nothing but the coldness of shadow. For all intents and purposes, he was in a void…but things were different now.

_My eyes…they can see past the illusion…they can see the truth behind truths…and I know where to strike!_ Without hesitation, Shurimon grabbed his giant shuriken and threw it. "**SWIRLING SHURIKEN!**"

It disappeared into the void…and all of a sudden, the darkness vanished.

Simultaneously, Shurimon saw that his Swirling Shuriken had embedded itself into a tree. The sharpened tip of that giant projectile had gone all the way through…and pierced Genjamon's tiny body. "Impossible…he saw through…my illusion…"

The Genjutsu specialist burst into data as life left him.

Shurimon turned around to see one of his Shadow Images being torn to pieces by an angry Taijamon. "I'LL REND YOU LIMB FROM LIMB! _FLAMING LEGS!_" His legs suddenly ignited with fire; strangely, his clothing and wooden sandals weren't set aflame…

_I could use this to my advantage!_ Shurimon quickly concocted a plan…and he went into action. "ILLUSION: EARTH STYLE!"

Taijamon paused. _Just by seeing past Genjamon's illusion, he can now utilize those illusionary powers! This isn't right!_

Of course, Shurimon's control was nowhere near as fine; even so, a fairly realistic mouth erupted from the soil, soaring down at Taijamon.

The Taijutsu specialist snorted as he turned his back to the mouth. "I know Genjamon's tricks! The real you will try to attack from behind while I think the illusion will strike! My mind is stronger than that!"

All of a sudden, the illusion vanished…and to Taijamon's surprise, Shurimon was not in front of him.

He turned around…and where the mouth had been – where the attack had been coming from in the illusion – was Shurimon, his legs ignited with fire, his Mirror Eye reflecting Taijamon's 'Flaming Legs'. _No…he was actually coming at me within the illusion itself!_

**SLAM!**

Taijamon roared as two burning feet slammed into his chest, leaving horrible wounds. The Taijutsu user grimaced as he bumped against a tree, staring angrily at Shurimon.

"DOUBLE STAR!"

Taijamon winced…but the shuriken missed him. "Heh…heh heh HA!" The muscular Champion cackled. "This battle has taken its toll! You can't even hit me! FLAMING ARMS!" His arms ignited. "I'll set these limbs of yours aflame!"

Shurimon yanked back.

Taijamon frowned…he heard a buzzing sound…

**SHICK.**

The two projectiles came back.

And then Taijamon and the tree had been against fell into two pieces, neatly bisected. "C-curse…you…" Taijamon burst into data moments later, his fire disappearing with him.

Shurimon turned to Ninjamon.

Ninjamon pierced through the last Shadow Image as he glared angrily at the Armored Champion. It wasn't fair…things had been going so well…and then the wretched worm had pulled an ace out of nowhere! A trump card that had never been foreseen! _Not fair…I was doing so well…_

Shurimon sighed as he released his Double Star weapons. "It's over Ninjamon. I'd rather not kill you as well."

"Don't you DARE patronize me," snarled Ninjamon as he raised his blade. "I will not fall so low as to accept pity from my enemy!" With a roar, he charged angrily.

Shurimon shook his head. "You were low enough to begin with." He suddenly extended his arms and wrapped them around Ninjamon. The minuscule Ninjutsu specialist screamed as he was slammed into the ground at high speed, creating a small shockwave through the ground.

Shurimon released his foe, standing above him in silence as his arms latched onto the Double Star shuriken once more.. His eyes reflected Ninjamon…and he pitied the fool. _To go so far for such a pointless battle…had he other reasons to live for, he might have used his abilities for something more worthwhile…_ "I will give you one more chance. Surrender…and I will let you go in peace."

Ninjamon snickered beneath Shurimon's shadow. "Hee hee hee hee…peace? Ninja thrive on battle…on war…what peace can there be for someone like me? I will continue to fight…and you will not stop me." He slowly reached for a hidden knife in his shoes. "I…will not…" He clutched the knife. "LOSE!"

Metal pierced flesh.

Ninjamon gagged as he fell limp; a shadowy shuriken had impaled his back. It had been the work of Shurimon's shadow; from his position, he had easily seen Ninjamon reach for the hidden weapon. A simple Shadow Image had done the trick.

The Ninjutsu specialist giggled. "Heh…I have no regrets…this battle…was…worth it." He breathed his last.

Shurimon sighed as he trudged away from the deleting body of Ninjamon. "So pointless…so pointless. This battle was so POINTLESS." The Shinobi of Sincerity sighed as he stared at the waters of the lake, standing upon the sandy shore. _The water is so peaceful…why can't fools like Ninjamon simply move on in these times of peace?_

He was so tired…he had won…but he could barely…stand…

As Shurimon fell face-first toward the lake, he dedigivolved to Hawkmon…and he fell in with a splash. Weariness and tiredness were the order of the day…and he slowly sunk. _So tired…can't…breathe…_

Before Hawkmon could sink further, a large hand grasped his body, pulling him up. All Hawkmon saw was blackness before the darkness of unconsciousness claimed him.

xxxx

/11-000-IOTA, Gennai's House, 4:52 PM/

"**So…what do you think?"**

"…for once Azulongmon, I am at a loss." Gennai was honest; he was completely and utterly stumped. "Shurimon never exhibited such a power. Where did it come from?"

"**Well, I never quite got to finish my little Q&A session with the Digidestined after the bout with UmbraDevimon. I wanted to tell them more about the Digieggs, but they were needed in the Real World."**

Gennai turned his attention to the Guardian Beast's face. "Then start by telling me."

Azulongmon chuckled. **"Although Baithumon, Xuanwumon, Zhuqiaomon, and I all used our Digicores to create new Crests after Shaun's arrival in order to compensate for the new danger, we went back to the old Digieggs we created and imbued them with special powers. The Digieggs of Miracles, Light, Hope, and Wisdom became the Holy Armors: battle-suits that Davis, Kari, TK, and Shaun could call upon at will, with a special ability for each one to boot; Davis could absorb power, Kari was a bane to darkness, TK could rejuvenate Digimon, and Shaun possessed telepathic abilities. HOWEVER,"** A glint came to the Guardian's eyes. **"It wasn't just those four."**

"You imbued the Digieggs of Courage, Friendship, Love, Sincerity, Knowledge, and Reliability with special abilities as well…" muttered Gennai.

"**Correct. Nothing on part with the Holy Armors; they had to be on a smaller scale. However, they were potent powers nonetheless…powers that could be unlocked during periods of emotional duress where both partners realize the virtue of the Digiegg in question. For Shurimon and Yolei, it was Sincerity…and his special power was the Mirror Eye, the ability to see the truth behind truths…in other words, his perception is heightened to an incredible degree, and he can mimic techniques of other Digimon."** The Blue Dragon chuckled again. **"It's quite fitting, considering sincerity is basically another word for honesty…or the ability to tell the truth."**

Gennai nodded as he processed this new information. "Yes…what of the other Digieggs? What are their abilities?"

"**They will be revealed if the time comes. All I can say is that Courage and Friendship are different than the other four…in the meantime, I must be off. So long."** Azulongmon's face vanished.

Gennai sighed. _Now I know how Izzy feels when he wants to call me._ He turned his attention back to the other monitors, watching two familiar figures tend to Hawkmon.

xxxx

/01-100-CHI, 4:59 PM/

Hawkmon's vision was fuzzy. _Huh…?_

"He's awakening."

The avian Rookie sat up, looking around him. Some of his wounds that had persisted during the dedigivolution process had been bandaged. In all likelihood, the two figures in front of him were responsible.

One of them he did not recognize…but he was a human.

The other one…was far more recognizable. "Blackwargreymon."

The black-and-gray, yellow-haired, yellow-eyed version of Wargreymon nodded. "It seems you remember me."

"How could I not?" replied Hawkmon. Blackwargreymon had started out as an enemy, created out of Control Spires by UmbraDevimon's servant Arukenimon. However, after having a change of heart that had caused him to save Davis' life from the Black General Satamon on File Island, he had been reborn soon after as a real Digimon…and with a purple D-3 in his hands. He had gone on to help the Digidestined in the great battle in Odaiba…but had returned to the Digital World with his new partner.

Speaking of whom, Hawkmon gazed at the tall man quietly. Unlike Blackwargreymon, he had never met this human. His skin was somewhat pale, although there were signs of a natural tanning attempt from sun exposure. He wore a heavy purple trench coat, although it was loosened and unbuckled. He wore black pants and dark brown shoes that looked worn out from too much traveling. He wore no shirt…and as such, a rather ghastly scar was visible on his chest. "Hello there little one."

"You are Blackwargreymon's partner?" asked Hawkmon, his eyes fixated on the scar, even though it was impolite.

The man nodded, his large eyes countering his rather tiny irises and pupils. "Yes. My name is Yukio Oikawa…" He took note of the fact that Hawkmon was staring at his scar. "…and in case you're wondering, this scar is part of my repentance." Oikawa still remembered how he had gotten the scar…a scar from Colonel Soulmon's Rod of Shame…and how Blackwargreymon had saved him.

"Oh. I see," quickly replied Hawkmon. He wasn't going to stare; it was obviously something the man didn't want to make an issue of. At least, that's what he thought. "So, Blackwargreymon…what brings you out here?"

The powerful Mega replied, "My partner and I…wander. While at the same time getting to know each other, we travel this world."

"While we do so, we help out those in need of assistance," finished Oikawa. It was definitely a change of pace for the Mega; using his power to protect the weak, like the other Digidestined's Digimon. But at the same time, it was…refreshing. And Oikawa wasn't going to lie; the Digital World was a magnificent place. "You should be lucky we were here; had we been elsewhere, you would've drowned in the lake."

Hawkmon flushed out of embarrassment. "Oh my goodness, how silly of me."

"You were exhausted from battle. It is understandable." That was Blackwargreymon said before standing. "You should return to your home. To your partner. I doubt you'd want to be gone for long."

"Oh dear, you're right. I need to get home!" Hawkmon stood, his legs feeling wobbly from the previous battle.

Oikawa smiled as he stood, pulling out his purple D-3. "Show me the Digiport you came through, and I'll open it."

Hawkmon bowed. "You're most kind Mr. Yukio."

The older man smiled a sad smile at the young Rookie. _And yet it is not enough to erase my sins…yet I will keep trying._

xxxx

/Park, Odaiba, 5:04 PM/

Izzy's laptop flashed. "Huh?"

**WOMP.**

Hawkmon landed right on Izzy. "Oh my, what a ride," remarked Hawkmon as he walked off of Izzy, who was lying in the snow on his back.

"HAWKMON!"

Yolei and the others were upon him in moments…and for a moment, Hawkmon forgot all about his battle.

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 9:43 PM/

"So…you managed to win with that 'Mirror Eye' of yours, huh?" muttered Yolei, wearing nothing but undergarments and a long red T-shirt.

Poromon nodded (this was the form he preferred most in the Real World when merely relaxing at the Inoue household) as he nibbled on a candy cane. "Yep. It was hard…but I managed to win in the end. Gimme a day, and I'll be in tip-top shape!"

Yolei smiled at her partner…her partner, who had fought so hard just to live. Just to make sure she wouldn't lose him. "Poromon…it was cool what you did…"

"I just wish it didn't have to happen," muttered Poromon with a frown. "The whole fight…it was all a waste. Nothing was gained. Only loss; three lives of Digimon were lost."

Yolei snorted. "After what they did just to arrange they stupid battle?"

"Morally deplorable Digimon, yes…but nevertheless, I wish it was all avoidable." Poromon sighed as he snuggled into a pillow. "I would've rather played all day…"

Yolei Inoue smiled as she ran a hand through her short hair, hugging her partner tightly. "Thanks for everything Poromon."

Poromon smiled. "Don't mention it Yolei."

Suddenly…

"**ACHOO!"**

Poromon winced at Yolei's sudden sneeze. Moments afterward, Davis' laugh could be heard from down the hall…followed by a sneeze. Yolei smirked. "Serves him right."

"Um…what exactly did you do to Davis?" asked Poromon with a sweatdrop.

"Just a little cold," sweetly replied Yolei.

Poromon could only shrug.

And thus the two partners fell asleep…slumbering as the snow poured from the sky, blanketing the city in the dark of night.

xxxx

_**THE END**_

(For real this time.)

xxxx

Author's Notes: Well…how many of you did I throw off with the first 'The End'? Be honest. :D

In any case, I'll tell you a little about the next two stories…

**_The Comeback Tour_** begins…with the wedding of Hiroaki Ishida and Natsuko Takaishi. That's right; TK and Matt are officially family again! And this means TK will become TK Ishida. :3

As for **_Tamers_**…it will feature Takato, Rika, and Henry. And it will also feature the Digi-Modify concept that made the Tamers of Season 3 able to have Rookies handle Champions! How do they fit in Zero 2? You shall see!

Remember; visit my little bro's profile!

See you soon, and please review!


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